Quotes by Robin Lanier

“The cost of unrest could be enormously detrimental to the budding economic recovery.”

“Mass retailers dont know much about order fulfillment on a one-time basis, ... Nothing turns a consumer off more than when you get sucked in, you want the product, and they dont have it. Brick-and-mortar retailers need to figure out these issues, and theyre starting to.”

“All of the back channel information Im getting is that theyre actually making some progress.”

“Taft-Hartley is not a terribly effective tool. Its pretty much a lead pipe cinch that if there is an order to end this, we will not have the most productive reopening of the ports, ... Thats why I was hoping there would be a negotiated settlement. But thats not going to happen.”

“The fashion apparel will shift to air because their selling season is only six weeks, and then it goes to markdown. They cant afford to miss one day, ... But the price for the plane is going up, and space will evaporate very quickly as the Limited and Gap fill them up.”

“This has got the attention of every CEO in America, ... How long can the president give mediation when he has all his friends calling him or [presidential political adviser] Karl Rove telling him there needs to be action.”

“You could order these guys back to work, but the question is what kind of productivity youre going to get out of those workers, ... Slowdowns can be almost more disruptive than flat-out work stoppages.”

“This has got the attention of every CEO in America, ... How much time can the president give mediation when he has all his friends calling him or [presidential political adviser] Karl Rove telling him there needs to be action.”

“Obviously I think this is a necessary first step because the contract negotiation unfortunately broke off this weekend and doesnt seem likely to be restarted, ... We have to do something to reopen ports. The impact is going to get much worse over time.”

“As long as theyre extending the contract, I think thats a signal there will be no slowdown, ... Perhaps there will be a very long drawn out negotiating process that will give us a lot of gray hair.”